Hydraulic pulsator system



Dec. 2-1, 1948. FOWLER 2,456,869

HYDRAULIC PULSATOR SYSTEM I Filed April 12, 1944 2 sheet -sheet 1 r r L AAA ff as INVENTOR. Clare nae Fowler Dec. 21, 1948. E FO ER 2,456,869

HYDRAULIC PULSATOR SYSTEM Filed April 12, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 INVENTOR. Clare): ceZfBwZer ATI'D R N EY.

Patented Dec. 21, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HYDRAULIC PULSATO-R SYSTEM Clarence E, Fowler, Hollywood, Calif.

Application April 12, 1944, Serial No. 530,618

(01. (ilk-54.5)

Cl i sl The invention relates to an actuating unit and more especially to a metallic hydraulic actuating mechanism for valve, vanes, switches or the like control.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of mechanism of this character, wherein the remote control of valves, vanes, switches or any other movable device or the like, can be had with certainty, and control is automatically effected, through the use of fluid, in a supply sys tem, underpressure of the fluid therein in association of an expansible diaphragm set-up.

Another object of the invention is the provision of mechanism of this character, wherein through diaphragm displacement through fluid pressure thereon, a control of a remote device can be had, thus relieving manual operation of the latter for this purpose, which is automatically cared for in the working.

A further object of the invention is the provision of mechanism of this character, wherein the same functions in the nature of a. pump through fluid pressure fOr serving as aremote control, the mechanism being of unique and novel construction, and is compact andusable for many purposes.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of mechanism. of this character, which is simple in. construction, thoroughly reliable and eflicient, in operation, having maximum throwing power for remote control, strong, durable, posi tive in the working thereof, and inexpensive, to manufacture and install,

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in. the features of, construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more, fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which show thepreferred forms of construction of the invention, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In, the accompanying drawings:

Figure 11 is, an elevation of the control system having the mechanism associated therewith constructed in; accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a detail enlarged sectional view through one of the diaphragms in an expanded condition.

Figure 3 is. a similar view to Figure 2 showing the diaphragm contracted.

Figure 4 is. a view similar to Figure 2 showing another of the diaphragms contracted.

Figure 5 is a viewsimilar to Figure 4 of this diaphragm expanded.

Similar reference characters indicate corre- 2 spending parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

Referring to. the drawings in detail A designates generally a system involving the mechanism cone stituting the. present invention and. hereinafter set forth. 1

The mechanism constituting the invention comprises a pair of. cylinders in and M, respectively, and within the, cylinder I'Elis arranged a series. of normally expanded double walled hollow substantially circular shaped expansible chambers or cells 12- havin thin flexible metallic walls. or. diaphragms, which. are disposed side-bye side, while interposed between the latter are disk partitions t3;,,eachhaving athickened center area l4 contacting wit-lithe centers; ofthe fiexiblewalls I15 of the respective expansible; chambersor cells l2.v These expansible chambers or cells i=2. are displaceable longitudinally within the; cylinder Ill. and each is; formed with a nipple It to which is connected a flexible hose H, the group otthe. latter being extended from a head l8 which is a terminal of a supply line IQ for fluid to and from the said expansible chambers or cells; A cosable fluid vent valve 20 is located in the rigid wall portion of the expansible chamber, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5... The. closablc bleed vent 28, on opening permits air to escape. from. within thev expansible chambers or cells initial'y to the placement of fluid therein. The partitions, [3 move concurrently with the expansible, chambers or cells l2. when. being expanded and contracted through admission and omission of fluid to and from the same. The cylinder 10 is formed with a slot 2| serving as a clearance for the nipples it which extend therethrough.

Centrally anchored. within each expansible chamber or cell I2 is an expansible spring 22 of the coiled type and the latter normally expands the said expansible chambers or cells.

Working through the end 23 of the cylinder It in a gland 24 thereon is a plunger 25, which is hand operated by a throw lever 26, pivotally supported in any desirable manner in convenient reach of an operator. This plunger 25 has an abutment terminal 2! contacting with the expansible chambers or cells of the series next thereto, so that by movement of the lever in one direction the series of expansible chambers or cells l2 can be contracted and in this the hind therein is expelled therefrom into the line I 9.

In the cylinder I I is a series of contractible expansible chambers or cells 28, each being alike to the expansible chambers or cells l2, excepting that it is devoid of the center spring 22, and the nipples 29 of these expansible chambers or cells 28, being flexible, are connected to the head 30, which is at the other terminal of the line 89. Working through the end 31 of the cylinder H is the remote control plunger 32, which is suitably lever connected to a device to be controlled by the mechanism and not shown in the drawings. The plunger 32 carries an expanding spring 33 which normally maintains the expansible chambers or cells 23 collapsed or contracted, until the fluid from the expansible chambers or cells I2 is forced under pressure into the expansible chambers or cells 28 through the supply system, causing these to expand and control the said device.

Through union connection 35 an elbow 35 from a supply tank or fountain 36 is connected to the line l9, so that when the initial fluid filling the expansible chambers or cells I2 is low a fresh quantity can be delivered thereto. The elbow 35 is fitted with a non-return check valve 31 to avoid any back flow of fluid to the tank or fountain, and this provision is made to relieve leakage in the system.

The cylinder H has therein the disk centered thickened partitions 38 which function identical to the partitions [3 in the cylinder In.

The mechanism is operated by the lever 26 which displaces the fluid in the expansible chambers or cells l2 into the expansible chambers or cells 28, and inverse order takes place by the action of the springs 22 and 33, respectively. The lever 26 may be otherwise operated than manually if found desirable.

It is of course understood that the action of the fluid takes place under pressure.

Due to the external connections It, ll, l8, i9, 30 and 32 of the individual expansible chambers any number of chambers may be easily utilized in the cylinders l and H. Thus, the overall stroke or movement of the plungers and 32 may be varied during the operation of, the mechanism.

If the cells intermediate the ends of cylinder H were centralized and an additional plunger 32 was added to the other end of the cells, it would be possible to obtain a thrust in both directions simultaneously to permit the unit to be used to expand brake shoes for automobiles and the like. The expansible chambers or cells 12 and 28 are alternately expanded and contracted in the working of the mechanism as should be apparent.

The cylinder H is slotted at 39 for the clearance of the nipples from the expansible chambers or cells 28 similar to the cylinder l0.

What is claimed is:

l. A mechanism of the kind described, comprising cylinders, a series of separate and independent expansible and contractible chambers having thin flexible metallic walls arranged interiorly of the cylinders, a transmission fluid in said chambers, external parallel outlet connections for each of one series of chambers, a common outlet conduit adapted to be connected to said outlet connections, external parallel inlet connections for each of the other series of chambers, a common inlet conduit adapted to be connected to said inlet connections, a common supply line connected to the ends of said inlet and outlet conduits whereby one series of chambers is normally contracted, and the other series of chambers are normally expanded, fluid exchange between the chambers on expansion and contraction thereof, means for contracting the normally expanded chambers,

4 and means operated by the expansion of the normally contracted chambers.

2. A mechanism of the kind described, comprising cylinders, a series of separate and independent expansible and contractible chambers having thin flexible metallic walls arranged interiorly of the cylinders, a transmission fluid in said chambers, external parallel outlet connections for each of one series of chambers, a common outlet conduit adapted to be connected to said outlet connections, external parallel inlet connections for each of the other series of chambers, a common inlet conduit adapted to be connected to said inlet connections, a common supply line connected to the ends of said inlet and outlet conduits whereby one series of chambers is normally contracted, and the other series of chambers are normally expanded, fluid exchange be-.

tween the chambers on expansion and contraction thereof, means for contracting the normally expanded chambers, means operated by the expansion of the normally contracted chambers, and a fluid supply system between the series of chambers.

3. A mechanism of the kind described, comprising cylinders, a series of separate and independent expansible and contractible chambers having thin flexible metallic walls arranged interiorly of the cylinders, a transmission fluid in said chambers, external parallel outlet connections for each of one series of chambers, a common outlet conduit adapted to be connected to said outlet connections, external parallel inlet connectionsfor each of the other series of chambers, a common inlet conduit adapted to be connected tosaid inlet connections, a common supply line connected to the ends of said inlet and outlet conduits whereby one series of chambers is normally contracted, and the other series of chambers are normally expanded, fluid exchange between the chambers on expansion and contraction thereof, means for contractingthe normally expanded chambers, means operated by the expansion of the normally contracted chambers,a fluid supply system between the series of charm bers and partitions between the chambers of each series.

4. A mechanism of. the kind described, com-, prising cylinders, a series of separate and indee pendent expansible and contractible chambers having thin flexible metallic walls arranged interiorly of the cylinders, a transmission fluid in said chambers, external parallel outlet connections for each of one series of chambers, a common outlet conduit adapted to be connected to said outlet connections, external parallel inlet connections for each of the other series of chambers, a common inlet conduit adapted to be connected to said inlet connections, a common supply line connected to the ends of said inlet and outlet conduits whereby one series of chambers is normally contracted, andthe other series of chambers are normally expanded,fluid exchange between the chambers on expansion and contraction thereof, means for contractingthe normally expanded chambers, means operated by the expansion of the normally contractedchambers, a fluid supply system between the series of chambers, and partitions between the chambers of each series and having thickened'centers.

5. A mechanism of the kind described, comprising cylinders, a series of separate and inde-- pendent, expansible and contractible chambers having thin flexible metallic walls arranged interiorly of. the cylinders, a transmission fluidwin said outlet connections, external parallel inlet connections for each of the other series of chambers, a common inlet conduit adapted to be connected to said inlet connections, a common supply 7 line connected to the ends of said inlet and outlet conduits whereby one series of chambers is'normally contracted, and the other series of chambers are normally expanded, fluid exchangegbetween the chambers on expansion and contraction thereof, means for contracting the normally expanded chambers, means operated by the expansion of the normally contracted chamber a fluid supply system between the series of chambers, partitions between the chambers of each series and having thickened centers, and means for normally holding the chambers of the respective series expanded and contracted.

CLARENCE E. FOWLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 1 Name Date 1,806,009 Whitacre May 19, 1931 1,881,266 De Giers Oct. 4, 1932 2,041,916 Flint; May 26, 1936 2,093,604 Galla sch Sept. 21, 1937 2,377,170 Morgan May 29, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 547,062 France Sept. 11, 1922 135,912 Switzerland Dec. 16, 1929 

